Jesse, Blueberries, and Family
by iAir Nomad
Summary: Based on the movie - A week with the Tucks have passed. Winnie spends some time with Jesse picking blueberries, and the Tuck family has a special surprise for her later. Story is better than the summary, I promise. R&R!


**TUCK EVERLASTING. **

**I used to watch this movie when I was little all the time. I was completely in love with it. It wasn't until just recently that I watched it again after so many years… and I fell in love with it, again! =] Teehee.**

**So yes, because I haven't read the book, most if not all my Tuck Everlasting fanfics will be based on the movie. Because Jesse and Winnie together is such a cute idea.**

**Hope you all like this one! =] **

"Oh, no," Mae Tuck cried. "This won't do!" 

"What is it, Mae?" Winnie asked as she approached her friend in the kitchen.

"We simply don't have enough blueberries to make this pie," she sighed, brushing her apron with disappointed hopes.

"Perhaps I can look for some more in the woods for you?" Winnie smiled.

"Oh, would you, Winnie?" Immediately, Mae's spirits and smile returned. "Thank you very much, my dear. Here, take this basket then, and if you could, fill it at least halfway. The blueberry bushes should not be too far away." She smiled kindly in gratitude, handing her the basket. Winnie simply smiled back and nodded in response before hurrying through the little house. Just as she passed the stairs, Jesse was walking down.

"Ah, Winnie Foster!" He called before she left through the door. She turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"Yes?"

"Where—where are you going?" He asked.

"To find blueberries upon your mother's request." Winnie replied matter-of-factly.

"May I join you?"

She hesitated. "You may." 

Jesse grinned merrily, and then he was instantly by her side as they left the house together. "It's a lovely day. I'd be a fool not to spend it picking blueberries with you." He smiled at her, causing Winnie to look downcast and with a faint blush.

"I'm happy you decided to accompany me, Jesse Tuck."

"Please, just call me Jesse."

"Then just call me Winnie." 

"Agreed." 

"Agreed." 

They both let out a lighthearted laugh, and then silence returned within a few moments.

"So, I believe you know these woods… more than I do—" She started.

"You're joshin' me!" Jesse exclaimed. "You _own_ these woods."

"You saw me when we first met! I had no clue how to get home. Frankly, I had to ask _you_ for directions." She rebuffed.

He laughed a little. "Alright, go on." 

"Well, I don't know where I'm going now. Where are these blueberry bushes?" 

Jesse allowed another chuckle to escape his lips. "You really don't know these woods, do you? You wouldn't last three minutes out here without us Tucks."

"Well, I'm not the one at fault for that, my parents are! They kept me behind a tall, iron, locked fence in a stuffy old house with so many unbearable formality rules. I never had a chance to explore my own woods until recently."

"Why didn't you just leave home earlier? You seemed to get out just fine." He noted.

"On the contrary, I had to climb the fence to get over. And trust me, it wasn't easy in the slightest."

Jesse nodded, understanding. "I see. Forgive me, then. Anyhow, you're going the right way. Just keep following this path and you'll be there shortly." 

"You speak as though you're going to leave me as soon as we get there." She frowned.

"Now why would you assume that, Winnie?" He asked, baffled.

"Well, that's what I'm picking up on."

There was an uncomfortable silence, Jesse's eyebrows deeply furrowed as they continued walking through the lush greenery. She looked up at him curiously.

"What are you thinking about?" 

"I'm thinking about how that, my dear Winnie, has probably been the stupidest thing you've said to me since I met you."

Winnie looked down at her boots in shame, blushing with the way he called her 'my dear' and the fact that he was so repulsed by her assumptions.

"I would _never_ leave you alone." He murmured. Her blush intensified.

"Thanks." She replied in a whisper.

A more comforting silence fell between them until Jesse cried: "Oh, look! There they are." 

"Wonderful." Winnie said, running ahead to quickly get the job done and back to her dear friend, Mae. Oh, how Jesse Tuck made her feel; she could never understand. She knew she had fallen for the seventeen-year-old boy, but she wondered if it was all really even worth it.

So lost in contemplation with her thoughts, feelings, and desire to move quickly, Winnie hardly noticed Jesse watching her with great astonishment at her speed.

Perhaps a little too quickly, though.

"Woah, woah, woah…" He said, covering her hand with his own, stopping her in her movements. "Slow down." He chuckled.

"But Mae will be wanting these as soon as possible. She very much needs this."

"Perhaps, but really, Winnie. It is something worth getting done in just three minutes?" He asked, searching for something in her eyes, but she couldn't figure out what.

Winnie turned away, licking her lips nervously with the way he made her feel and the way he touched her hand, but said nothing. There was a short pause before she began picking berries again, however, slowly this time at his desire. Jesse smiled wide in satisfaction. It was like the kind of smile he gave her before her and the Tucks had dinner that first day she arrived. He and Mae were the only ones that gave her a little sense of comfort with that first encounter, especially after Miles' unexpectedly rude actions and behavior toward her and Mr. Tuck's awkwardness around her. But as time slowly passed, things got a little easier and she felt more accepted by the two men.

"Have you ever tried Mae's pies?" Jesse asked suddenly as he helped pick berries for her.

"I've only been here a week at the most, how could I?" Winnie replied.

"Oh, my bad. I thought you've been here at least a month."

Winnie turned to him quizzically, and he smiled at her.

"Time flies when you're having fun." He said. Another blush formed on Winnie's creamy cheeks. She focused back on her work.

"How am _I _so fun?"

Jesse shrugged. "It's kind of indescribable. There's just something about having another female in the house around my age-group that makes things more fun and enjoyable, I guess."

"Another female." Winnie echoed.

"Mhm," He sighed, turning to watch her for a moment. Winnie felt his eyes on her, but bashfully tried pretending she wasn't noticing. His eyes lingered on her longer than she anticipated, but eventually he went back to his blueberry-picking. Winnie could have sworn he was blushing just as much as her.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0O

With two baskets full of blueberries, Winnie and Jesse made their way back up the trail to the little wooden home, hand in hand. Every so often, the young girl would look down at their connected hands; so fitting, so perfect. Could it be? Could he share the same feelings as she felt for him?

They've only gotten to know each other for a week or so. And they were still attempting to get to know each other. But was it possible? 

At that moment in time, Jesse's hand loosened from hers slightly, but only to _intertwine_ their fingers now, before he squeezed her hand tighter than before. And it was in that moment she knew the answer to her question: Yes, yes it was possible. Winnie turned away to hide a blush and a secret, knowing smile.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0O

Later that afternoon, with fresh blueberries granted, Mae Tuck had begun making the pie. All the while, Tuck, the husband, sat beside her in the kitchen, at work as well with a bowl of cranberries. Winnie stood silently in the doorway, completely unnoticed, but she didn't mind it. She watched the delicacy, the time and the effort the Tucks put into the making of their food. Mae was carefully slicing off the unnecessary extra dough on the edge of the pie, and Tuck was busy crushing the cranberries. He offered a little piece of the fruit to his wife every so often, bringing it with his own hand to her lips. Winnie smiled at this, delighted. The Tucks were never in a hurry and did everything the slow way, a way the rest of the world had long forgotten already. And it was this she admired so greatly.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0O

In the evening, Winnie, Jesse, Mae, Miles, and Tuck all played a game of musical chairs. Eventually, with only Jesse and Winnie left with one chair in the middle, Winnie's feelings for the teen boy were prominent to her more than ever. They circled slowly that one chair, eyeing one another very carefully. He stared with playfulness dancing in his brown orbs, and a little bit of something else, she couldn't figure it out. But it was a look she would certainly never forget.

Before she knew it, the music ceased. Her and Jesse scrambled immediately to the middle, shoving one another to gain victory by sitting in the chair. By accident, Jesse shoved her a little too rough, causing her to fall harshly on the wooden floor.

"Ow!" She winced.

"Winnie, Winnie I'm so sorry!" Jesse cried apologetically, instantly at her side to help. She huffed and pouted angrily at him, and then at the last moment, smirked devilishly, got to her feet, rushing to meet the chair, and claiming it before he could make a move.

"Ah, cheater!" Jesse exclaimed, pointing accusingly.

She smiled innocently. "_You _pushed me."

He laughed, as well as everyone else at the scene. Except Miles, but he managed a half-smile.

Jesse sat on a chair in front of Winnie, gazing at her humorously. She studied him as well with equal playfulness.

"Oh my, I think the pie is ready!" Mae announced happily. She quickly scurried to the kitchen as Tuck and Miles followed, leaving Jesse and Winnie, whom were still searching one another's face and eyes. Miles glanced at them knowingly, pursed his lips, and went in the kitchen without a word.

Jesse sighed when they were alone. "I just can't put my finger on you."

"Nor on you," Winnie giggled. "This entire family is mysterious to me in so many ways."

"Naturally," He smiled. "Just wait, you'll get used to it soon."

Winnie could only laugh, shyly looking down at her bare feet. She felt his hand hold hers then, and she looked back up to meet his gaze once more. He smiled softly, one meant only for her. She felt her heart skip a beat.

"Here we are!" Mae's voice rung as she approached. Jesse quickly got to his feet and behind Winnie, then covered her eyes with his hands.

"It's a surprise." He whispered in her ear. She giggled excitedly. She could hear a plate being placed in front of her.

"Alright Winnie, you may look." He murmured and unshielded her eyes. And there it was. The most perfect pie imaginable, completely homemade. But that's not what made Winnie gasp and bury her face in Jesse's shoulder with such blissful, happy tears. On the top of the pie, done so delicately in cursive with frosting, were the words: "_Winifred Tuck_". Seeing her reaction, the family smiled, laughed lightheartedly, and clapped with much enthusiasm—even Miles a bit.

The Tucks had grown so fond of Winnie even after a short week, but then again, time for them didn't exist. They welcomed her as one of their own. Winnie couldn't ask for anything more than to be a part of them, to be with them—with Jesse—for all eternity. Forever.

Little did she know that it was possible.

With some coaxing from Jesse, she crawled on to his lap like that of a small child, face still buried in his shoulder, as she clung to the white cloth of his shirt and her other arm wrapped around his neck, embracing him so fondly. He hugged her back just as tight, taking her al in, swaying them side to side. He chuckled in her hair, happy as ever, the Tucks still cheering merrily.

Winifred Foster—no, Winifred _Tuck_—was home.


End file.
